Chapter VI

LOS ANGELES

Jack, Sloane, Rachel, and Marshall all waited in the briefing room for Grace and Dixon to return with the copy of the Forgotten Prophecy. Sloane had sat down but seemed to be mentally distant and his thoughts were unknown. Jack was pacing the room, something Marshall had never seen him do before. Rachel sat in worry and it was clear she was blaming a lot of this on herself but she seemed to be the only one doing it. Marshall, honestly, felt a bit out of place. He hadn't felt he contributed to the lengthy discussion and he wanted to help find Sydney just as much as the next agent. Except maybe Jack. He just felt at the moment that he was worthless.

"What's taking them so long?" asked Jack. He turned to Sloane. "What have you done? You double crossed us again, didn't you?"

Sloane was awoken from his deep thought. "Of course I didn't. I told you right where it was, Jack. And I don't like the feeling I'm getting from you."

"Oh really? And what feeling is that?"

"Hatred."

"Well normally, a father is suppose to feel hatred to someone who kidnaped his daughter, don't you think? Wouldn't you feel a little hatred toward someone who kidnaped Nadia?"

"Not if it was destiny for her to be kidnaped."

"Stop with this destiny bullshit, Arvin. Rambaldi has been wrong on countless occasions and you better hope that he's wrong again and that we find Sydney."

"Rambaldi is never wrong. What we interpret from him can be wrong and incorrect."

"Well then, you better hope that the interpretation of this prophecy was incorrect."

"Honestly, Jack I don't believe it is."

Jack smacked Arvin across the face in frustration causing him to fall to the ground. Marshall and Rachel didn't know what to do and they didn't want to come between them. They both kind of feared Jack in a way. But Jack did not do anything more to Sloane. He walked away and continued pacing. Sloane got up with a dark red mark across his face. He seemed embarrassed not because he hadn't defended himself but because he was hit by a man who he use to call his friend. But this embarrassment did not gain Arvin any sympathy from Marshall or Rachel. He deserved it.

"Jack I never wanted it to come to this," said Arvin. "But I..."

"Shut the fuck up," ordered Jack and Arvin didn't finish his sentence.

Sloane knew how everyone else viewed him. He knew everybody believed he only cared for himself. But it wasn't true. He cared for Nadia. He had cared for Emily. He cared for Sydney and was indeed sad that she would never get to see her child grow. But he also cared for Jack. But he was soon losing his care for him as the minutes passed. He was growing the same hatred for Jack, that he had against him. And Sloane knew he'd regret all of this after he knew the location of immortality. If Jack lived long enough to hear about it. He just hadn't realized the repercussions of his actions yet and Sloane was still going to give him a chance for an apology after all of this. Unless, things got worse.

Jack caught Grace and Dixon in the corner of his eye entering APO. Dixon had a case in his hands that matched the description Sloane had given them. Soon Dixon and Grace reached the briefing room, and entered, and Grace closed the door behind him.

"Is this the safe, Arvin?" asked Jack. Sloane looked up and seemed as though he hadn't realized Dixon and Grace were back until Jack had spoke to him.

"Yes," answered Arvin. "That's it."

Jack took the box from Dixon and placed it in front of Sloane. At first Sloane just looked at Jack and his gaze sent chills up everybody's spine but Jack. There was a distinct change in his voice and mood. He no longer cared for sympathy and understanding from them.

"Open it, Arvin" demanded Jack. "Or I'll cut off your finger and place it on the pad for you."

Arvin stared at Jack a few more seconds as if to say, "Would you really do that, Jack" but he did not say any words. He brought his index finger to the pad on the front of the box and placed it. The pad scanned his finger and the box opened.

PACIFIC OCEAN

Sydney was now again alone in the room. She didn't know what to think and she was worried for herself. She felt as though she was going to breakdown in any moment. No more "surprises" had entered her room after Sark, Madeira, and Alison Doren left and they hadn't told her anything Sydney did not know. Everything was kept as a secret to her.

Sydney worried that she was to be brainwashed again and used like she had been for those two missing years she never could get back. She worried that her baby's life was in danger. She was worried for everyone at APO. And most importantly, she was worried for her father. How was he coping with her disappearance?

She hoped APO had discovered Sloane did this to her. She wondered why he hadn't come in to visit her? But then again, he might have stayed in Los Angeles to wait for Nadia to wake up.

Sydney now was first realizing how cold she felt in the room and she wanted desperately to get under the covers for warmth but couldn't. She was also becoming incredibly uncomfortable and she wished she could move about. She'd be no threat if she wasn't tied down. There was no possible way to escape except through the air vent which seemed to be to small for her anyway.

The giant red Rambaldi symbol hung over her like a dark cloud. Although she had seen this symbol many times before it was sending chills up her as she stared at it. The chills were a sense of danger. The symbol watched over her like an eye. She never asked to be apart of Rambaldi. She never asked or wanted to be The Chosen One. And although she doubted Rambaldi Prophecies and Artifacts, how was it that he knew who she was before she was even born? How did he know a girl like her would come along many, many years after his death? Or was it that, Rambaldi was still alive and watching her, pretending to have been a prophet who died many years ago.

Ideas and thoughts on why she was here began rushing through her mind and she wished she could shove them all out. She was frustrated and lost and she just wanted to be home, in her bed, and safe. She began crying and this was the breakdown she was bracing herself for. Soon she began crying hysterically and tears streamed down the sides of her face and onto the pillow, underneath her. She closed her eyes and hope she was going to wake up in her bed and hear Rachel in the shower. Or better yet, hear Nadia making breakfast. Or better yet, open her eyes and see Vaughn lying next to her with his beautiful eyes gazing at her.

"I was watching you sleep," Vaughn said.

"Why?" asked Sydney.

"Because it makes me smile," he answered and he gave her a grin. "Were you dreaming?"

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

"Because you were talking in your sleep," said Vaughn.

Sydney smiled. "What did I say?"

"You said something like 'You're unbelievable' or 'This is unbelievable'."

"Yeah, it wasn't the most pleasant dream."

"Well don't worry about it now," he said. "You're awake."

She moved closer to him. "I never thought life could be better than a dream."

"It can."

And Sydney opened her eyes and found herself back in the empty room, tied to the bed with the large Rambaldi symbol painted above her. It was all a dream. A dream that Sydney wished could come true. But she knew it was a dream somehow before waking. It seemed so unreal yet she could almost feel the warm sun on her skin that was shining through the window. She could almost feel herself snuggled underneath her soft blankets. And she could almost feel Vaughn's gaze. But that feeling was still there.

She looked up and there Michael Vaughn was, standing about five feet from the bed frame, staring at her. His face looked expressionless but she could almost recognize a face of regret and speechlessness.

And Sydney too became speechless at the sight of him. He hadn't changed a bit. He wore a simple black suit with a tie. His hands were placed in his pockets. Was this another dream of wishful thinking?

"Vaughn..." she muttered.

"Hey Syd," he said.

"Vaughn, what's going on?" she asked.

"I know there's a lot to explain," he said. "And we have the time for that."

She stared at him and more tears were coming down her cheeks. This couldn't be possible. She saw Vaughn die. He couldn't be in the room. She was hallucinating. She had to be. Michael Vaughn was dead and buried.

"What is this?" she asked.

"You're on a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean," began Vaughn.

"I know that, I mean who are you? This isn't possible."

"Sydney, I know it seems impossible and improbable but you have to believe me when I say it's me, Michael."

"This is some sort of experiment isn't it?"

"No, it's not."

"Then I'm hallucinating."

"No you're not, its me, Michael."

"No it's not, stop saying that. You're dead!" She began crying hysterically once again. "You died..."

"I didn't die, Sydney."

"Yes you did. I planned your funeral. I saw you as your heart stopped beating. If this isn't some sick mind game then you're a double. You aren't the real Vaughn. You're just like Alison Doren. You're a fake!"

He took a step closer to her. "Syd, I'm not--"

"Stay away from me!"

"You have to believe me."

"I can't!"

There was a pause as Sydney's words echoed in the room. Vaughn turned away from Sydney's wet eyes and stared down at the floor.

"I didn't want to leave you," he said. "I tried everything I could and I begged and pleaded but I have to leave."

"Stop trying to make excuses. Whoever you are, you can't make me believe that you are Vaughn and it was a stupid attempt to try and get me to believe that."

"Stop being so stubborn!"

Vaughn's words now echoed in the room as another pause was brought between the two. Sydney attempted to stop her sobbing but wasn't doing a very good job at it.

"Sydney, please believe me."

"I can't..." More tears rolled down her cheek. Vaughn turned away in attempt to stop himself from crying but it didn't work. Just as a tear began streaming down his face he brushed it away but more came down slowly. "How am I suppose to believe you?"

Vaughn turned back to her and she could see the pain in his eyes. She wanted to believe it was him more than anything. But she couldn't.

"We were going to name our child Isabelle if it was a girl," said Vaughn, hoping this would be proof.

"Other people know that," said Sydney.

"On the day I met you, my father's watch stopped working. When you were still working for SD-6, we use to call your house phone and have someone say "Joey's Pizza" so we could tell you that I needed to talk with you without SD-6 suspecting something. I once had a dog named Donovan. When you were five, you broke you leg on a camping trip and your father carried you for miles. You took piano lessons when you were six. Marshall collects Pez dispensers. I shot Lauren Reed and killed her. Eric Weiss was my best friend and he thought he was Houdini. I proposed to you on an airplane and you were the only woman I ever loved."

They stared at each other for a long time.

"Is that enough proof for you?"

"Vaughn..."

He walked over to her and hugged her. His arms felt good around her and she wished she could have returned the hug. Instead she kissed him on the cheek. Then he released the hug and the two kissed each other.

"Vaughn, please get me out of here."

"I can't."

"Why not Vaughn? Why am I here? Why did you leave me?"

"After I told you my name was Andre Macho I put everything at risk. But I told you because I loved you and I didn't want to keep anything from you. I knew that after I had told you that I might not see you again. And when I was contacted by Prophet Five, I was told that I had to fake my death because too many people knew who I was. Prophet Five was a small organization that my father was a part of. It was in short, a group of bounty hunters that would work for other agencies to capture wanted criminals. You, at a point became wanted by your mother. Your mother contacted Prophet Five and I was assigned by my superiors to become your handler. I had been working with the CIA for a couple of years before but I wasn't a double agent and I never did anything that put my country in danger. I simply just worked two jobs and one had to be kept a secret so I wouldn't be put in danger or be thought as a traitor. Your mother wanted us to watch over you and that is what I did until she decided to make her presence noticed. During that time I fell in love with you. And when we thought you died I was heart broken. But life had to go on. I was next required to receive information about a woman named Lauren Reed. I was forced to marry her. And then, you came back and I couldn't believe it. I wanted to hold you and leave Lauren but I was ordered to stay and keep watching her because the information we obtained about the Covenant was becoming useful. And the day when I was in the hospital, you gave me water with a chemical in it. This chemical was put in by Prophet Five and I knew it was going to be there. This chemical caused my body to stop functioning fully and it put me in some sort of coma that made it seem like I had died when in reality I could be easily revived by another chemical that reverses the affects. So after I had been buried I was dug up and my body was taken from my coffin. I was revived and I began my work with Prophet Five again."

"Did Renee know?" asked Sydney.

"She did," answered Vaughn. "And it pained her to see you so lonely and she begged Prophet Five that she could give you some kind of hint that I was alive but they refused."

"So why is Prophet Five holding me here?" asked Sydney.

"This isn't the works of Prophet Five," said Vaughn. "After I had disappeared I was contacted by an unknown source. They told me that I was an important piece to a Rambaldi Prophecy and that it involved you. I set up a meeting with the contact and I was told about Rambaldi's Forgotten Prophecy."

"What does the Prophecy say?" asked Sydney.

"I have been told not to tell you but you'll find out," explained Vaughn.

"What do you mean you can't tell me? Who told you not to?"

"I'm sorry Sydney but I can't answer all your questions. You will find out I promise."

"Vaughn I'm scared."

Vaughn sat down on the bed and held her tied hand. "You have to be strong Sydney. Be strong for me and our child."

Sydney felt more tears coming down her cheek. "Is it alright if I'm untied? I'm getting really uncomfortable. But I swear, to whoever is behind that glass I won't do anything. I just don't want to be tied down."

Vaughn turned to the glass and stared at it for a moment. He then turned back to Sydney and answered her. "Of course." He untied her hands and then feet. She sat up and moved her wrists and ankles in a circle.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

She hugged him, now that she was able to and he held her close. He then put his hands on her belly. She smiled and felt warmth and happiness although she was still frightened.

"He's kicking," said Vaughn.

"He?" asked Sydney.

He realized what he had said and caught himself. "Well maybe she, I'm not sure."

Sydney stared at him puzzled for a moment but he averted his eyes.

"If our child did turn out to be a boy," he said, "what would you like to name it?"

This changed the mood. Sydney smiled. "I don't know."

"Well I decided on Isabelle, I think you should decide on the boy's name."

Sydney pondered for a moment.

"How about Ethan?" asked Sydney.

"That's a good name," said Vaughn, smiling. "I missed you, so much."

Sydney looked from her stomach to him. "I missed you too."

"We always find each other."

Arvin Sloane reached inside the box. For a second, Rachel thought he was going to pull out a gun. But from inside the box he pulled out a large tan colored paper. The paper was rolled into a cylinder. He placed the cylinder onto the table and then he grabbed another piece of paper from inside which was laminated and white. He slowly passed both papers over to Jack.

Jack looked at Sloane for a while and Sloane held his gaze with him. Then Jack turned to the cylinder roll of paper and took it in his hands.

"I assume this is it?" asked Jack.

"Yes," answered Sloane. "Be careful with it," he added.

Jack unrolled the large paper ad then spread it out on the table. It was Rambaldi's prophetic work. His writings were in a different language that Jack had not seen before. There were twelve bold and large titles and words that were more miniature underneath the titles. Then at the bottom center was another large title and more smaller sized words that seemed to be listed. But Jack did not pay attention to these writings. What he noticed was a large sketch in the middle of the paper. Drawn by Rambaldi himself on the Forgotten Prophecy was a life-like illustration of a naked child who was attached to an umbilical cord which seem to fade away on the paper. The baby's large eyes seemed to be looking straight at Jack and although so young it seemed so wise already.

"This..." muttered Jack. "This is my grandchild."

Nobody said anything. There was an elongated pause between the group as Jack continued to stare at this piece of art. Then after, Jack took the laminated paper he looked at it and could see it was the translation.

On the top it read: "The Forgotten Prophecy". Jack began reading the prophecy out loud, first beginning with the description of the Twelve Disciples.

"The Forgotten Prophecy," Jack began. "The Chosen One will give birth to her first and only offspring. But what has been Forgotten is that I, Milo Rambaldi, will be the bearing that will release from The Chosen One's womb. I, Milo Rambaldi will come again. I will not know my importance when reborn nor will I know who I am. But, once injected with the serum, on my birth date, when I have reached the age of four, I will scribe down the location of Immortality. Below are my Twelve Disciples who are my most loyal followers and will be the first twelve to achieve Immortality and they will be the Twelve to help me recollect who I am."

Jack paused and turned to Sloane who was watching Jack as was Rachel, Dixon, Grace, and Marshall who occasionally looked down at the copy of the original Prophecy. There was an eerie feeling throughout the room that everybody could feel. Jack turned back to the paper.

"The Descendent," he read. "The most important of the Twelve Disciples is The Descendent who is the oldest living relative to me and who has found this Forgotten Prophecy. Their connections with the Chosen One go much deeper than this Prophecy. The Descendent will be the second Disciple to acquire Immortality." Jack stopped and turned back to Sloane. "And you said you didn't know who this is?"

"No," answered Sloane. "All I know is that I am The Gatherer, Sydney is The Chosen One, and Nadia is The Passenger."

Jack read on. "The Eternal. The first of the Twelve Disciples who will gain Immortality is The Eternal. This woman has acquired immortality far before any of the Twelve Disciples have and she will not gain Immortality through my Rebirth. But she will work to help the other Twelve Disciples gain Immortality and for me to be born again."

"So there's a person," said Rachel, "in this world, who already is immortal?"

"So claims Rambaldi," answered Sloane.

"The Deliverer," continued Jack. "This woman who is the sister to The Eternal will free me from the womb of The Chosen One. After she releases me and brings me into the air of the world, The Chosen One will die but I will be the one to kill her before I am an hour old." Jack paused again, not believing what he was hearing and everyone could tell he was frightened.

"The Passenger," Jack proceeded. "The Passenger who is related to The Chosen One will be the second mother to I. Because of the death of The Chosen One, The Passenger will care and breast feed me.

"The Counterpart. The Counterpart is the closest to The Chosen One in identity. What the Counterpart has forgotten is that she is the rebirth of my wife. We will be reunited and we will have three children.

"The Marksman. My Godfather will be one of The Twelve Disciples known as The Marksman. During my life, we will be put in a situation where I will die and he will hear my last words. But fear not, I will come again. The Marksman will assassinate The Chosen One's father and bury him next to her."

Jack looked up. "You don't know who the Marksman is?"

"Why?" asked Arvin. "Are you scared?"

Jack did not answer but went one reading. "The Warrior. The Warrior will be the fifth Disciple to gain Immortality. He, in time will murder the most people for my protection including relatives and companions of The Chosen One so they will not get to me and take me away from my responsibility. Two men will come incredibly close in kidnaping me. One will be the father of The Chosen One, who will be murdered by The Marksman and the other will be a man very close to The Chosen One who she has lied to greatly in the past.

"The Messenger. The last Disciple to see The Chosen One alive will be The Messenger. He will also be the last one to hear The Chosen's ones sacred words and voice along with The Deliverer. The message will be carried on through The Messenger.

"The Keeper. The Keeper will gather a piece of The Chosen One's DNA by order of The Descendent. This DNA will allow a clone of The Chosen One to be made by The Keeper who holds an unique artifact of mine. The cloned Chosen One will be used after I die. She will have sex again and will have me. I will appear almost identical to my first reincarnation and I will continue to make Prophecies and I will teacher my followers new works as I grow older but I will still refuse Immortality. The Keeper will be named my Godmother."

"The Gatherer."

The group glanced at Sloane who ignored their gazes.

"The Gatherer will be the one to bring The Chosen One to the other eleven Disciples. He will be the father of the Passenger and is one of my most important followers. He will be the fourth Disciple to gain Immortality.

"The Guardian. The Guardian is my biological father. He will have sex a second time so my clone can be created. Without him or The Chosen One I would not be alive... He will be the seventh to gain Immortality..."

"You lied," said Grace.

Jack had already turned to Sloane.

"Why did you lie, Arvin?" asked Jack.

Arvin just looked at Jack. "I wouldn't call it a lie, I'd call it a mistake."

"Are there anymore mistakes that you'd like to fix before my fist collides with your face?"

"Is that a threat?" asked Arvin.

"It most certainly is," answered Jack.

"So you knew," interjected Dixon, "You knew this whole time that Michael Vaughn was alive?"

"Well the Prophecy seems to claim he is alive," said Arvin. "But like you said, Jack, Rambaldi has been wrong on countless occasions." He smirked.

Jack turned away from Sloane and went back to the document.

"The Matriarch," said Jack. "The third disciple to gain Immortality will be The Matriarch. She is my grandmother, The Chosen One's mother, and another loyal follower who will become one of the strongest women in our small world. She will care for me the most and will have me grow and develop properly until my death." Jack turned to Sloane. "You son a bitch." He punched Sloane across his face as hard as he could. Sloane fell to the floor and began bleeding. "You knew Irina was apart of this and you kept it from me! You don't understand what that woman is capable of. And now she thinks she'll be granted immortality by risking her daughter's life!"

"It's inevitable Jack!" yelled Sloane.

"It's not if I say it's not," Jack said and he punched Arvin Sloane a second time, knocking him out.

Vaughn opened his eyes and saw the Rambaldi symbol above him. He turned to his side and saw Sydney sleeping. She looked so happy dreaming. He sat up and tried not to wake her. He sat on the bed briefly and was surprised that he was allowed to stay there so long. How long had he been asleep?

He turned back to the peaceful Sydney. He could almost see a small smirk across her face as she dreamed. All of this felt like past times where everything seemed perfect. He loved the feeling of getting up in the morning and seeing her. But those days had long been gone. And they weren't coming back.

He wished it didn't have to happen like this. If he only knew Sydney would have died giving birth then he would have never gotten her pregnant. And now he ultimately felt that this was all his fault.

Slowly, a tear ran down his cheek. It was warm in comparison to the temperature of the room and it stung his eye. And then more flooded downward. And it hurt him to realize that soon he would never be able to lay next to Sydney again.